Preamble

A primary responsibility of the University is to provide its students with the opportunity for inquiry and the freedom to discuss and express one’s view openly and freely without fear of retaliation, or abuse of person or property. These attributes are the foundation of good citizenship.
To this end, students have an obligation to act in a fair and reasonable manner toward their peers, the faculty, staff, administration and the physical property of the University. Academic integrity and personal conduct, both on-campus and off-campus, are critical elements in achieving these goals. Violations of University regulations which have been adopted to protect the university community will be subject to disciplinary action. This may include, but is not limited to, violations of regulations governing plagiarism, cheating, examination impersonation, academic fraud and acts of personal behaviour such as sexual harassment, violation of human rights, vandalism and substance abuse. The student discipline by-law provides guidance to those individuals charged with administering disciplinary action while, at the same time, outlining the protection to be afforded students through their right of appeal. Disciplinary authorities are encouraged, whenever possible and appropriate, to settle findings of violation by informal resolution.

University of Manitoba Policy 1202 , Student Discipline By-Law, November, 1992

The purpose of this information is to

• help if you have been accused of an academic offense;
• help you decide what to do should you suspect someone else of committing an academic offense;
• help you understand academic offenses better so you can avoid committing them inadvertently.

It is important to know the rules. The University of Manitoba’s rules can be found in the General Calendar, under "General Academic Regulations and Policy." In addition to the University of Manitoba’s Student Discipline Policy, the University has policies on copyrights and patents and research ethics. These can be found in the Senate Policy & Procedures Manual. You can obtain copies of these policies from the Web (U of M Home Page) or the Student Advocacy office (Room 519 University Centre). Finally, there are handouts on plagiarism or related subjects, and course outlines should make reference to cheating or plagiarism. Excellent writing guides are available in the library and the Book Store. Every student involved in essay or report-writing should follow an appropriate style guide in order to correctly and completely acknowledge all sources and forms of assistance.

It is the responsibility of the student to know the rules!

The University places a high value on academic honesty. It has implemented various measures in an attempt to curb academic dishonesty:

• examinations are invigilated;
• individuals taking examinations are required to sign in and to display a student ID card;
• different versions of an exam may be alternated row by row;
• assignments done out of class time are subject to other forms of vigilance and scrutiny;
• faculty can often tell that an essay has been plagiarized, even if they do not at first know the exact source of unacknowledged passages;
• faculty are aware of various forms of ‘Cyber-Cheating’ which may include downloading papers from the ‘Net or purchasing an essay from an agency.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, students responding anonymously to surveys indicate a fairly high level of cheating - well above the numbers of students caught and punished. Some cheating and plagiarism is due to student ignorance of rules and obligations. One goal of this handout is to reduce cheating due to ignorance.

Students who cheat, cheat their fellow students most of all.

What to do if you are accused of cheating or plagiarism

1. You will probably feel angry at the person who accuses you, even though he or she is just trying to make the academic environment more honest. Do what you can to master your angry feelings so you won’t say anything you later regret.

2. Answer questions honestly. The instructor has an obligation to investigate and to try to determine the truth.

3. Remember, there is an appeal process available to you. If the instructor investigating the allegations against you seems unwilling to hear your side, you can appeal. Remember, too, that the burden of proof is on the University.

4. Consider the evidence against you. Evidence does not have to be conclusive. The burden of proof is based on the ‘balance of probabilities’ that is, if a reasonable person can say: "Based on this evidence, cheating probably took place."

• You have a right to appeal either the decision (finding of fault) or the disciplinary action (penalty).
• Lying or fabricating evidence may lead to a more severe punishment.

If you run into an instructor who, in your opinion, is handling a cheating accusation poorly, seeking advice from someone else (another faculty member, a Student Advocate) may help you. Here are examples of some improper reactions to academic dishonesty:

A. The instructor appears to take the matter very personally, looks at the alleged offender with loathing, and says some pretty hurtful things.
B. The instructor warns the student not to appeal because much worse could happen than the sanction being imposed. The calendar may be cited in support of this claim, the instructor may say something like: "You could be expelled if you appeal"!
C. The instructor offers no reason for believing the student cheated, but demands proof that the student did not.
D. The instructor offers superficial evidence for an accusation based on a generalization or a judgment of the person. ("I can’t believe anyone your age would say that." "The writing is too good for a student".)

Penalties

Various factors influence instructors, department heads and deans when determining punishments for academic dishonesty:

• was the offense planned or the result of an impulse?
• has the student been honest and cooperative during the investigative process?
• is this a first offense?
• does the student appear to be genuinely sorry for the offense?
• were other students compromised through the actions of this student?
• was this student irresponsible in not knowing that the offense was an offense?

The penalties listed in the General Calendar and the Student Discipline Policy are examples. They range in severity from reprimand (least severe) to expulsion and criminal prosecution. An instructor who believes a student is guilty of a scholastic offense cannot impose penalties but must refer the matter to the Department Head/Dean.

There is no rule about which penalties are applied for which offenses, but there are patterns in the ways that penalties have been applied in the past. Patterns are not rules, and instructors, departments and deans are free to depart from them.

Less severe penalties: (The following refers to undergraduate students in non-professional faculties. As you progress through your studies penalties tend to become more severe.)

• reprimand.
• requirement that the student repeat and resubmit the assignment, or
• a failing grade in the assignment.

One or more of these penalties is usual in case the offense is a first offense, the offense could have been a mistake (for instance, an error in documenting sources in an essay), and/or there is no very good reason to believe the student intended to deceive.

Failure (F). This is the normal penalty when the offense is probably intentional and is a first offense. Often a failing grade is given resulting in an F - CW . The CW notation means F due to compulsory withdrawal in that course.

Severe penalties apply if there is evidence of planning or involvement of others in the offense. Suspension for one year or more is typical for a student who was previously found guilty, even if the offense resulting in suspension is less serious.

Often suspension due to a disciplinary matter results in a transcript notation. After serving the suspension, a student may make a request in writing to the Director of Student Records that this notice be removed.

Expulsion, unlike suspension, is deemed to be permanent. Expulsion appears to be reserved for very serious cases which may also involve criminal prosecution.

Criminal prosecution is reserved for criminal acts, such as fraud, forgery, theft and impersonation. See the Calendar for more information.

Fraud

The regulations on scholastic offenses in the Calendar describe a number of fraudulent acts. While innocent acts can sometimes be mistaken for cheating or plagiarism, this rarely happens with fraud. Fraud is usually a deliberate lie. For example, submitting a forged doctor’s letter or failing to disclose information on an application is fraudulent. Consequently, it is sometimes dealt with more severely.

How to appeal

1. You may appeal a charge of academic dishonesty. You have at least two levels of appeal open to you. There is a L.D.C. (Local Discipline Committee) struck to hear faculty appeals and a U.D.C. (University Discipline Committee) to hear appeals arising from L.D.C. decisions.
2. If you are guilty but you feel the disciplinary action is too severe, you can also appeal. Begin your appeal with whichever office imposed the penalty (Departments/Schools and Faculties). You may obtain assistance/information from the Student Advocacy office, Room 519 University Centre.

How offenses are recorded

1. There will be a notation on the record and the transcript if a student is suspended or expelled. Some discipline actions include an F - CW designation.
2. The Student Discipline By-Law outlines reporting responsibilities for the academic staff and disciplinary authorities.
3. It is your right to know how information about you is retained, and for how long.

How to avoid cheating and plagiarism

In tests and exams

1. Do not sit near friends.
2. Shield your answer sheet so that others cannot see it.
3. Take no notes, books or other items into a test or exam except those expressly authorized. If unsure about what is permitted, always ask.
4. Do not gaze around the room when writing a test or exam.
5. Do not communicate with any other student during a test or exam: communicate only with the instructor or proctor.
6. Arrive on time. Hand in all papers as required.
7. If you hear of anyone obtaining information about a test or exam in advance, report it to the instructor without delay.
8. If procedures for administering or supervising tests or exams seem inadequate to you, let the instructor or other authority know what your concerns are.
9. Report to the invigilator or instructor any unusual or suspicious behaviour of other students writing the test or exam.

In essays, reports and other assignments

1. Know the rules, including the specific rules for the specific assignment.
2. Do not work with a fellow student on any assignment unless authorized to do so. It is called ‘inappropriate collaboration’ if you exceed the amount of group work expected by the professor. Make sure you clearly understand the professor’s expectations for individual and group work on each assignment/project.
3. Acknowledge all assistance received, including help from friends or others in terms of proofreading, suggestions or information.
4. Do not submit work that is not entirely yours i.e., use of another student’s essay, use of a downloaded essay from the ‘Net’, use of an assignment purchased from a service/agency.
5. Do not cite in your bibliography any books, articles or other sources e.g., including the world wide web, which you have not used for the assignment in question.
6. Do not lend your work to other students unless you feel certain they will not use it dishonestly.
7. Keep a photocopy of all assignments, essays, and reports you hand in to be graded. Keep rough copies and notes until your final grade is received. Notes and rough copies can constitute valuable evidence that your work is your own.
8. When saving electronic files, save the drafts of assignments/ papers under different versions. This maintains a record of your work as it develops to the final version.
9. If you submit an assignment by sliding it under an instructor’s office door (not recommended), confirm the next day or as soon as you can that the assignment was received. Make a note of the actual time and date of submission.
10. The assignment you prepare for one course should not be used for a different course. This is called ‘duplicate submission’.
11. When in doubt about any practice, ask your instructor. Do not rely on friends, relatives or fellow students for information about what is acceptable academic practice in a particular course or discipline.
12. When material you read impresses you, be particularly careful to use your own words. Use quotation marks and cite sources whenever you use the words of another, even phrases only one or two words in length. Acknowledge all sources of information and inspiration.

What to do if you know or suspect someone else of cheating

Anyone who suspects someone else of committing a scholastic offense has several choices:

• talk about your suspicions with the other person
• report the suspicion to the Instructor/Chair/Dean
• remain uninvolved

Before deciding to remain uninvolved, consider the big picture. Who benefits most from your lack of action? The wrong-doer. If you feel a moral obligation to try to make your university a fairer and more honest place, try to find a way to get involved. Please contact the Student Advocacy office for advice.

Talking to the other person: Many University of Manitoba students hope to enter professions where peer monitoring is an important means of maintaining professional ethical standards. If you decide to talk to someone you suspect of academic dishonesty, make sure you are familiar with the policy on scholastic offenses. Then consider the evidence you have that a dishonest act has taken or will take place. Be clear about your own motives and goals. You may want to consult someone you trust before undertaking the difficult task of talking to someone you suspect.

Reporting a suspect: There are two ways to make such a report: (1) by giving the instructor, head or dean a tip; (2) by giving evidence. When you give a tip, you need not disclose your identity. You are merely advising the instructor, chair or dean that you suspect academic dishonesty took place (or will probably take place). It is up to that person to investigate and gather evidence needed to charge the offenders. You do not become a witness. A tip can be written, phoned or given in person.

Sometimes a tip will not be useful because the instructor is unable to find any evidence in support of the claims made. From the university’s point of view it is always preferable to have a witness willing to state what they have seen or heard.

If you have any questions, please contact our office. The Student Advocacy office maintains a resource file on the topic of Academic Integrity for students and staff. Test your understanding of academic honesty by accessing our web-site.

We gratefully acknowledge permission to use as a primary source, material in the handout produced by the Ombudsman’s office, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.